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CANADA: Driver accused in deadly Ottawa double decker bus crash pleads not guilty

Aissatou Diallo is facing three counts of dangerous driving causing death and 35 counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm
2019-01-12 Westboro Station bus crash MV2
OC Transpo bus crashed in Westboro Station, January 12, 2019. Mike Vlasveld/ OttawaMatters

The bus driver, accused in a crash at Westboro Station which killed three people, is pleading not guilty to all charges.

Aissatou Diallo was scheduled to appear at the Elgin Street courthouse Tuesday morning. She did not appear in person, but her lawyer Fady Mansour was there on her behalf.

He waived Diallos arraignment, meaning an automatic not guilty plea. 

Mansour also asked for more disclosure from the Crown. The initial batch of evidence arrived on Sept. 13, but a second wave of evidence isn't expected to reach the courts for another couple of days.

Diallo was driving an OC Transpo bus on Jan. 11 when it slammed into the pedestrian platform overhang at Westboro Station, killing three people: Judy Booth, Bruce Thomlinson and Anja Van Beek.

The accused is facing three counts of dangerous driving causing death and 35 counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm.

She will be back in court on October 1.

- OttawaMatters.com/Rogers Media